


Chime and Flurry

by Aissu



Category: Free!
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Post-Canon, briefly mentioned makoharu, butterfly husbands, if you're feeling lonely this christmas then i hope this fic makes you feel happy and fluffy, merry christmas!!, there is also a love letter somewhere, too much fluff tbh im getting cavities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 15:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5503352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aissu/pseuds/Aissu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Five more minutes Mom,” he grumbled like he did when he didn’t want to wake up. Rei chuckled and pulled the kotatsu quilt over him and shifted down to reach Rin.</p><p>“Merry Christmas, Rin-san,” he breathed into Rin’s ear and remained where he was, waiting to see his lover’s reaction.</p><p>One second. And then two.</p><p>-- </p><p>A RinRei Christmas fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chime and Flurry

**Author's Note:**

> i was thinking about the title at crisis time ( oH MY GOD HALF AN HOUR BEFORE MIDNIGHT CAN I MAKE IT) and it struck. i like it.  
> >> you could perhaps think this of as an alternate route to my other fic "Wait For Me"

Rei blew on his gloved hands, rubbing them together and Rin watched, amused, as his boyfriend tried to warm himself up.

“It’s cold, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Rei nodded, trying to get some warmth back in his frozen cheeks.

“Ah, it’s snowing,” Rin blinked as he looked up, and the two paused to gaze at the snowflakes drifting down against the backdrop of the twinkling stars in the navy blue sky.

“Hold on,” Rei grunted as he reached into his bag. He brandished an umbrella and unfurled it, holding it above them.

“Thanks,” Rin grinned. “You’re always prepared.”

“No problem,” Rei smiled, his pale cheeks gaining a rosy pink at the compliment. Rin snorted and was about to move on when he noticed white dotting Rei’s hair.

“Your hair,” he murmured, as he dusted the snow off his lover’s hair.

“Oh! Thank you, Rin-san,” Rei uttered, surprised, and the two looked ahead, standing still for a moment, processing what had just happened.

“Pfft," Rin snickered as they looked in opposite directions, blushing heavily and chuckling. “No one would believe we’ve been going out for seven years.”

“We do act rather virginal sometimes,” Rei added gravely and Rin was overcome with laughter. “How are you still such a nerd?” Rin questioned as he reached out for Rei’s hand and nestled it against his own.

“I don’t know Rin-san, I could ask the same of you. You still haven’t lost any of your bite.”

Rin turned to look at his lover in disbelief. “Did you just…?”

Rei turned away and adjusted his glasses but the reddened tips of his ears gave it away. Rin covered his face with his free hand as he doubled up and Rei jabbed him in the side, pulling him along the sidewalk. Christmas music was playing in the stores they passed by and the crowd milled about the large Christmas tree placed in the middle of the street. Couples walked by, arm-in-arm, their delighted expressions illuminated by the soft glow of the street lamps. Children ran ahead of their parents and pressed their cheeks against glass windows, pointing at irresistible toys.

The pair stopped at the Christmas tree after Rin’s laughter had subsided and took a moment to gaze at it in all its grandeur and colourful glory topped with a golden star. The exquisite ornaments hanging off it gave it an incandescent glow.

“Y’know,” Rin said, “I still like our small and cute Christmas tree better.”

“While this tree is indeed very aesthetically pleasing, ours is of a perfect size and it truly brings out the homely feeling,” Rei added, after moment’s silence.

“Yeah,” Rin pressed a chaste kiss to Rei’s cheek. “Let’s go home.” 

Rin-san!” Rei yelped, flailing helplessly. “Don’t do that!”

A gasp of “It’s Matsuoka-senshu and his boyfriend!” had them turning to see a trio of girls pointing at them and talking to one another in between giggles.

"You guys are really cute!” one of them squealed. “Merry Christmas!” they managed through their abashed laughter before turning around and fleeing.

At that, heads turned as tried to catch a glimpse of the world-famous Olympic gold medallist and the pair realised they didn’t have time to stand where they were and rethink public displays of affection.

“Definitely time to go home,” Rin mouthed to Rei and the two sped off in the direction of their house. While the public refrained from sticking their noses into the pair’s affairs too much and left them to their own devices, it went without saying that Rin’s popularity still had people pointing him out and approaching him for autographs. While it made him happy, there were times he needed some space away from the public eye. Time that he treasured with his family and friends. Especially with Rei, from whom he was separated for months at times.

It had been approximately half a year since they had moved into their own home, a result of them working hard at each of their respective jobs. Rei was a researcher at a reputable company and the head of a project that was on the verge of making a scientific breakthrough within the next ten years to come. He was already in the spotlight among the plethora of researchers in Japan and held his own popularity to Rin’s. Rin, meanwhile, was an Olympic swimmer and trained for months on end, travelling from country to country.

It took both the scientific and sports worlds by storm when Rin and Rei moved in together and they had prepared themselves for the publicity, both negative and positive because two men moving into a house together was practically the same as them getting married. Rin’s sister and mother, as well as Rei’s family, had approved of their decision beforehand and their friends had given them their most sincere blessings.

Their house was a quaint, double-story building, with a small garden full of delightful flowers that Rei loved to spend his time tending when Rin was not around. The interior was spacious and the couple had spent time together deciding what they needed and what kind of décor they’d both appreciate having. They had a bedroom to themselves and another two bedrooms in the house, one that they had converted to a guest bedroom for their friends (mostly Nagisa) who had an annoying habit of dropping by unannounced. The couple entered their haven and shut the door behind them, turning on the lights in the living room and depositing their heavy layers of winter clothing on the coat hooks and coat stands that Rei had bought for convenience and to stop Rin’s bad habit of discarding his clothes on the floor on his way in.

“Home sweet home,” Rin sank onto the wooden floor, only to sit up and hiss as the cold hit him.

“I’ll go turn the kotatsu on,” Rei laughed, amused by his partner’s antics. Rin nodded and wormed along the floor to the kotatsu, relishing in the cosiness that embraced him as he slipped under it after Rei had turned the heating on.

Rei pulled off his scarf and walked over the corner of the room to pick up a shark plushie – his favourite – from among the many butterfly and shark soft toys lining up the corner and walked over to the kotatsu to join Rin. The redhead moved to make space for Rei and the two snuggled against each other, warming each other up. “I never want to leave,” Rin announced as he buried his face in Rei’s neck, feeling the blue-haired man’s steady pulse against his cheek. He felt the small tremor along Rei’s throat as he let out a short laugh.

“Neither do I, Rin-san,” Rei murmured against his silken cherry-red hair.

The two remained in comfortable silence for a while, content with tracing innumerable patterns along their palms.

“Selecting this tree was a good choice,” Rei said softly, pulling away a little from Rin to look at the small tree that stood to the left of the living room, near the entrance to the kitchen. Rin pushed himself up and leaned on his elbows on the floor, breaking out into a grin.

They had decorated it with baubles and all manners or ornaments, including butterflies on springs, completing it with a charming silver star at the top (A few days prior, Momo had brought his cat over and placed it on the top instead of a star and the result had been hilarious). They had placed the tree on a large, circular rug so that they could place the presents their families had given them around the tree.

“Don’t open it until Christmas,” Gou had warned ominously, promising the pair much pain if they dared to even peek.

“Ah!” Rei started, struggling to make his way out of the kotatsu from the tangle of limbs his and Rin’s legs had become. He grabbed his bag and pulled out the presents the Iwatobi gang of ex-swimmers had passed to him during the time they had met earlier in the day. Seeing as it was Christmas Eve, the Samezuka and Iwatobi graduates had planned a small party to celebrate. Since Rin was over during the holiday, which was rare, they had agreed to make it more convenient for the pair and hold it in Rei’s hometown where they lived.

It had been one of the most relaxing and enjoyable times they had spent in a while. Filled with Haru’s unwanted mackerel dishes and Nagisa’s laughter overlapping Nitori’s harassed screams, building on the sappy drunkenness that was Seijuurou and Momo’s loud screams of delight as he caught sight of a critter or two, the two had been thoroughly entertained. That was, until it had turned into a game of spin the bottle that had the usually gentle Makoto cowering behind Haru while Sousuke had a dark glint in his eye. When they finally disbanded many hours later, they had taken turns to bless the couple in their own way (“Haru and I know how difficult it can be, and you two have to brave the negativity but we’re always here for support,” Makoto had embraced them tightly, pulling in a reluctant Haruka into the mix).

“Man, Gou’s gonna bite my head off for getting her fiancé so drunk,” Rin winced as he recalled the red-faced, teary Seijuurou sobbing about how happy and proud he was about Rin’s accomplishments and that Gou had accepted his proposal. Rei gave him a disapproving look.

“You brought that one upon yourself. What were you thinking, making your former captain so inebriated?”

“But it was funny! Plus he’s gonna be my brother-in-law. I’ve got to give him some trouble as Gou’s older brother.”

“Protective older brother,” Rei added. “Although that’s absolutely unnecessary seeing as you’re the one going to end up in trouble the most.”

“True,” Rin sighed, dropping his face onto the floor with a resounding thud. “Ow.”

“Punishment is in order,” Rei observed. “At least you’re aware.” 

"Shuddap,” Rin mumbled, looking up and rubbing the sore spot on his forehead that was slowly reddening. He rested on his chin and watched as Rei placed the presents around the tree, realigning them every few seconds so that they would be symmetrical and look beautiful when he was done. “You beauty freak, that’s enough,” he complained when Rei reached out to push a box to the left. “Come back to me, Speedo Glasses.”

Rei turned around, a smile dancing on his lips. “It’s been a while since I’ve heard you call me that.”

“Ten years, to be exact,” Rin tugged at Rei’s ankle when he was close enough.

Rei finally relented and moved back under the kotatsu, curling up next to Rin and turning his head to take a good look at his lover’s profile.

“It’s already been that long, huh,” Rei contemplated, absent-mindedly running his fingers through Rin’s hair.

“Well, it’s still short compared to how much more time we have ahead of us,” Rin pointed out, taking Rei’s glasses off and appreciating his violet irises, practically twinkling under the bright light.

“That’s true, we still have our Silver and Golden anniversaries to celebrate,” Rei grinned. “But I think celebrating our first Christmas together at our own home is a good start.”

Rin hummed in agreement and leaned forward to press a kiss on Rei’s nose before rolling to his side, groaning and patting his stomach. “I’m so full after eating all that goddamn mackerel.” Rei burst into laughter, and Rin loved how the corners of his eyes crinkled. 

"Haruka-senpai is really too much. I don’t know what he feeds Makoto-senpai everyday…” The two paled as they considered the thought and abandoned it almost immediately.

“I pray for Makoto’s health,” Rin whispered and pulled Rei closer to lean against his chest. “And on that note, let’s sleep. Otherwise, we’ll still be awake when it’s actually Christmas.”

“Under the kotatsu? That’s not a very good idea.”

“Why not? We’re closer to the tree this way,” Rin tried to convince Rei who surprisingly gave in, for once, without complaint.

“I’ll turn the lights off,” Rin pressed a kiss to the top of Rei’s head and crawled out, shivering at the loss of warmth and turned the lights off. He gingerly made his way back to the kotatsu and grasped Rei’s hand, pressing it to his cheek to steal some warmth. 

"Rin-san, that’s not nice.”

“I give my all to you, and you give your all to me, yeah?”

“That’s illogical and cheesy, Rin-san.”

“Shut up, you know you love me.”

They shared a clumsy goodnight kiss in the dark and Rin let out a breath of relief when his exhausted lover’s breath evened after a few minutes.

He had a mission to accomplish.

Rin knew Rei was a light sleeper but if he remained as quiet as possible, he would be able to do what he wanted to without ruining the surprise. He glanced fondly at Rei who was pressed up against him and lying on the shark plushie, using it as a pillow, despite the fact that they had already placed a few pillows around it for ease of use. Squinting in the dark, without his phone to provide brightness, he attempted to detach himself from Rei without making any sudden movements. When he finally succeeded, he stayed where he was, waiting to see if he had awoken the other man. He pulled the kotatsu quilt up to Rei’s chin to make sure he didn’t get too cold.

Rin crawled blindly along the floor, past the dim lighting that the Christmas tree provided with its dazzling ornaments. He ended up stubbing his toe against the corner of the wall when he tried standing up and a curse flew out of his mouth, unbidden.

Mentally berating himself, Rin padded up the stairs, hoping his noise hadn’t woken up his sleeping boyfriend (or husband, he told himself internally while his cheeks grew hot, because they were practically married–).

When he had finally made the long and arduous journey to their shared bedroom, he turned on the light and opened the cupboard, looked for the gift he had stashed under a pile of his neatly folded clothing to avoid it being discovered under Rei’s watchful eye.

He pulled out the present, wrapped in Christmas-themed paper and patted the edges, checking that it was in its original state without any tears or creases. Turning the light off, he sneaked out of the room and went back down the stairs, wincing as the stairs creaked under his weight.

“Almost there,” he muttered under his breath like a mantra, aiming to reach the Christmas tree as soundlessly as possible. He was nearly there when he tripped over an inconspicuous corner of the kotatsu quilt and landed flat on his face with a resounding ‘thump’. He resisted the urge to create another series of thuds against the floor with his head. By then, his eyes had adjusted to the darkness and he could see a little more clearly with the presence of the tree.

He froze when Rei sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes and blindly groping around the floor for his glasses.

"Rin-san...?"

Noting the confusion in Rei's voice, Rin pushed the present away discreetly and scooted over to him, hushing him and gently pushing him into a relaxed position.

"Sorry," he murmured, leaning down to press a light kiss on Rei's forehead. "Wanted to go to the bathroom but ended up tripping. Go back to sleep, babe."

"Mn, be careful," Rei yawned before squinting his eyes shut and shifting to one side. Rin waited until the blue-haired man was slumbering before crawling rapidly back to where he had left the present. He stretched out on the floor and put the present haphazardly on Rei's painstakingly arranged presents.

"Finally," he breathed out and shuffled back to his place under the kotatsu. He pulled a pillow from nearby and aligned it next to Rei's before making himself comfortable and pressed close to Rei's back, nearly sighing in bliss at the heat that enveloped him.

 

"G'night, Rei," he whispered before sleep overtook him. 

\--

The first thing Rei felt when he opened his eyes was the familiar weight on his thighs. He turned on his side to face Rin, his expression relaxed and his lips pulled into a small smile. One of Rin's legs was slung over Rei's thigh and his arm was hanging over Rei's shoulder, fingertips grazing his back.

Rei felt his heart constrict with affection for his lover. Rin had finally been granted a few months off to relax since his competition season was still a while away and they had the spent the time busying themselves with adjusting to the house.

After a few minutes, he reached out to gently tap Rin's cheek and the redhead woke up, squinting and shielding himself from the glare of the sun coming in through the windows they hadn't drawn the curtains over. He frowned at the sunlight filtering in, as if to challenge it before he grunted and detached himself from Rei to wiggle further under the kotatsu and bury himself.

“Five more minutes Mom,” he grumbled like he did when he didn’t want to wake up. Rei chuckled and pulled the kotatsu quilt over him and shifted down to reach Rin.

“Merry Christmas, Rin-san,” he breathed into Rin’s ear and remained where he was, waiting to see his lover’s reaction.

One second. And then two.

Rin let out a sound half between a shout and a scream before shoving the kotatsu quilt off the both of them and shot into a seated position, a dark red hue painting his face all the way to the tips of his ears.

(Impressive for a 27-year-old who had faced far more daunting situations, Rei noted.)

“That’s _cheating_ ,” he emphasised, rubbing his eyes furiously.

“But it’s Christmas morning, Rin-san, and I don’t want to be sleeping in the whole day.” Rei sat up next to Rin and gave him a light shove on the shoulder.

“Okay, true,” Rin groaned.

“You are a true Scrooge,” Rei teased, “Next thing I know you’ll be shouting ‘Bah, humbug’ to everyone you see today.”

“I wouldn’t mind if three ghosts who look like you turn up to teach me the joy that is Christmas,” Rin retorted, standing up and stretching.

“Pfft.”

“Okay, but in all seriousness, how about we open the presents now?” Rei didn’t miss the quaver of excitement in Rin’s voice. He turned to glance at their Christmas tree and immediately noticed a present that hadn’t been there before- A square-shaped one, gift-wrapped in green, adorned with candy canes and butterflies. He laughed and walked towards it, picking it up and admiring the wrapping.

“Is this perhaps something you snuck in when I wasn’t looking, Rin-san?”

“Maybe,” Rin let out a laugh, bowing his head a little, abashed.

“Merry Christmas, Rei.”

“Thank you, Rin-san,” Rei flashed a bright smile before he opened up the present, following the lines of the tape and taking care not to rip the paper.

He fingered the item inside, feeling a somewhat sharp edge and pulled out a photo album with a “7 Christmases Ago, I Gave My Heart Away” inscribed on it, in Rin’s tell-tale handwriting. His lilac eyes widening, Rei opened up the album to see a picture of the two of them amongst the rest of the Iwatobi Swimming Club members, arms slung over each other’s shoulders and their expression ones of absolute delight.

Then there was another from a time they had all gone out to karaoke and the two of them had had to duet in an unofficial battle Momo had forced them all into. A picture of butterfly cookies placed strategically in the middle of open textbooks. A horribly taken selfie, and a pair of matching butterfly bracelets. The two of them clinging onto each other as they walked across a bridge to test their courage, the horror visible on their faces. Rei’s face scrunched up, his glasses sliding down his nose as he warred with a research paper.

Rei flipped through the pages, his vision blurring as tears filled his eyes. He looked up and Rin was watching him, his eyes reflecting those in Rei’s.

“D’you like it? I planned it for so long I nearly mentioned it to you.”

“Like it? I love it!” Rei managed through his tears. “These memories that are so precious… thank you for saving them and keeping them close to your heart, Rin-san.”

“Always,” Rin promised as he stepped forward and gathered Rei in his arms.

“Where’s my present?” Rin asked, without a hint of shame.

Rei smiled through the tears and pointed at the Christmas tree.“Take a good look.”

“It’s this, isn’t it?” Rin picked up a rectangular present, wrapped in blue paper and its only accessory a dainty, light green ribbon at the corner. “Very you.”

“That’s a compliment, obviously.”

“Ha, nerd,” Rin poked Rei’s forehead before opening, being as careful as Rei. He treasured whatever he received from his partner. He took out a journal ; pastel blue in colour with lavender staining the edges like watercolour.

_**“To The Beautiful You”** _

He flipped it open and pressed the page down, tracing Rei’s neat and impeccable handwriting.

“ _Dear Rin-san, _

_Perhaps this would have been more meaningful given in the first Christmas of our relationship, but there is a certain charm sharing this with you in our own home, built upon the hope of our everlasting relationship and an eternal promise of love._

_It is, arguably, ‘nerdy’ (as you would put it) but I wish with all my heart that this letter touches the depth of your heart and rests in it for a long while to come because this is only the beginning of our future together._

_If I were still an adolescent, this is what I would have giggled about with my friends and worried over giving to you- a “love letter”. Even now, at this age, it’s a little embarrassing but I give you this little note with more confidence that I’m the only one in your heart. I am happy to be the one you have chosen to be by your side for as long as we live. I want to treasure every passing moment with you, happy and sad. Over the past seven years, we have overcome all the difficulties that have torn us apart, but never once snapping the red thread tied to our little fingers._

_I love you._

_With all my heart, I love you._

_Merry Christmas, Rin-san!_”

“Rei,” Rin’s voice broke as he choked up, holding the journal to the side so that he wouldn’t ruin it with his tears. “Rei that’s just beautiful. Thank you,” his voice dropped to a whisper as he rested his head on Rei’s shoulder.

He grasped Rei’s hand and brought it up to his chest, and Rei curled his fingers against Rin’s chest, smiling despite the wetness on his cheeks. They gazed at each other, memorising the contours of their faces and committing them to memory, for then, and for an eternity.

“God, look at us grown men, crying like babies,” Rin dissolved into laughter and Rei joined him, their home filling with the sound.

Delighted and spurred by the mood, Rin pulled Rei in, pressing his chapped lips against Rei’s own, their noises bumping in their hurry. Laughing through the kiss, Rin wrapped his arms around Rei’s waist, capturing Rei’s upper lip between his own, tracing over it with his tongue. Rei embraced Rin, lessening their distance by interlacing his arms over the redhead’s neck. It was gentle, unhurried.

They had all the time they needed.

Eternity and a day. 

\--

"Rin-san, would you stop biting me?”

“Nice. Now it looks like a Christmas tree.”

With a horrified gasp, Rei rolled over to look over his shoulder and realise that yes, indeed, the traces of bite marks on his back resembled a Christmas tree. 

“You Scrooge!”

“Pretty sure Scrooge was an old man who didn’t have these kinds of kinks.”

Rei’s indignant shrieking very nearly deafened Rin for the next few hours.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like the more I write, the more I pull them away from their actual characteristics and into my own fantasy world instead.  
> Nevertheless, I hope y'all enjoyed this. I have too much to say so I'll refrain from filling this up with another short story of my own. 
> 
> A few notes-
> 
>   * The beginning is inspired by [fallen-lucifiel](http://fallen-lucifiel.tumblr.com/post/106685171054/sharing-one-umbrella-the-person-more-in-love)'s lovely comic! I had it saved in my RinRei folder for a long time :") 
>   * senshu (選手) - the honorific added to the end of an athlete's name
>   * Silver Anniversary - a couple celebrates 25 years of marriage!
>   * Golden Anniversary - a couple celebrates 50 years of marriage!
> 

> 
> (also, i wanted to write about gou's present in the omake-ish part but i had a feeling it would go in an indecent direction)


End file.
